national Thr Citizen Thursday, August 11, 1983 — 5 FEDERAL ROLE NEEDED Nothing concrete from premiers' economic talks TORONTO (CP) - Canada’s 12-per-cent unemployment rate could be virtually halved if it regained the share of world trade it held in 1970, an Ontario spokesman contended Wednesday as the 10 provincial premiers focused on the troubled economy. But despite glowing comments from most of the premiers on the first day of their two-day annual conference, there was no indication they had reached agreement to do anything specific. Ontario Premier William Davis, asked twice if the premiers had agreed on any action they could take on their own, said only that they were unanimous on “some views.” Asked what the provinces could do to boost international trade themselves, he said some premiers reviewed existing programs, but returned repeatedly to the need “in a more co-operative way to involve the government of Canada.” One official, who asked not to be named, doubted anything concrete will be in the communique the premiers release today except the issues they want to raise with Ottawa. And New Brunswick Premier Ri- chard Hatfield, who as the longest-serving provincial leader has seen more premiers’ conferences than any of his colleagues, described the session as mostly “deja vu.” Davis revived his call for regular first ministers’ conferences on the economy, telling reporters without prompting that there was only a limited amount of “fed-bashing” around the conference table Wednesday. Davis sympathized with Prime Minister Trudeau’s reluctance to call another conference after the disastrous February, 1982, meeting, but appealed to Trudeau to set aside those concerns and try again. He dismissed a reporter’s suggestion that Trudeau would be putting his neck on the line to call such a meeting now with Liberal support in the polls at a record low and an election approaching. “All of our necks would be collectively out,” he said, adding Canadians want their governments to work together and stop bickering. However, Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed said he isn’t sure a first ministers’ conference now would be worth while, given the state of federal-provincial relations. Quebec Premier Rene Levesque, in a statement delivered to the conference and released to reporters, said economic recovery may once again be threatened by rising interest rates and what he called Ottawa’s single-minded defence of the value of the Canadian dollar. Earlier, Levesque praised the discussion on international trade as “the most stimulating meeting on the economy that I’ve seen in many years.” Frank Miller, Ontario industry and trade minister, led off the trade discussion with his estimate that 700,000 jobs could be created directly and indirectly if Canada’s share of world trade was restored to its 1970 level of 5.2 per cent from the current 3.7 per cent. With 1.5 million unemployed, that would cut the jobless rate by almost half. Davis did not know how much extra trade that would mean, but figures provided by officials suggest Canadian exports would have to jump about $33 billion a year from their current level of $84.5 billion. Prince Edward Island’s James Lee said the economic talks “really hit home,” adding his province has only scratched the surface of the world market. GUARANTEED INCOME Changes for poor wanted TORONTO (CPI — A report that says many of Canada’s 400,000 working poor would fare better on welfare may revive interest in a guaranteed annual income, says the head of the National Anti-Poverty Organization. Patrick Johnston, executive director of the anti-poverty group, was responding to a report prepared by University of Manitoba professor Derek Hum released Wednesday by the Ontario Economic Council. Hum’s study of the working poor recommended the provinces and the federal government negotiate a new cost-sharing formula for income-assistance programs. He also said the governments should agree on a “national standard of basic income support’’ for poor Canadians. Johnston said the failure of programs such as unemployment insurance to provide for poorer Canadians during the current recession may create more interest in new support programs. “We’re seeing a situation where the safety-net system hasn’t really worked that well,” he said Wednesday. Johnston said the minimum income standard should be the Statistics Canada poverty line, which ranges from $13,400 to $18,200 for a family of four, depending on where they live. In 1979, more than 2.5 million Canadians lived in poverty and 55 per cent of poor families were headed by working people, Hum’s report said. It said living standards for poor working Canadians may grow worse if a better Canada Assistance Plan — under which the federal government gives money to the provinces for programs such as welfare — is not negotiated. The study also said minimum wage levels, which range from $3.50 to $4.25 an hour in Canada, have not kept pace with inflation since 1975, leaving the working poor further behind. Jeffery Patterson of the Metropolitan Toronto Social Planning Council said Ontario’s minimum wage has increased 17 per cent in the last three years, while the cost of living has risen 30 per cent. But increasing the minimum wage is not the answer in fighting poverty, the report said. Workers in most poor families earn more than the minimum wage, so it would require extremely large increases in the wage rate to push them above the poverty line, it said. Patterson said 25 per cent more people are on welfare now than at the beginning of the recession. And because the provinces have been carrying much of the increasing cost of welfare, they may want to renegotiate federal contributions to income-support plans. Gregoire ROMANIAN DEAL Prisoners don't work or eat Thousands of federal prisoners protesting prison conditions and commemorating those who have died violently behind bars were locked in their cells Wednesday after refusing to work or eat. Participation in the ninth annual National Justice Day was higher than in past years, probably because of more advance publicity, prison officials said. Quebec was the only exception, with all but 400 of the 3,500 prisoners eating and only four kitchen workers at the Laval prison complex refusing to work. “Participation was quite active in all regions other than Quebec," said Dennis Finlay, spokesman for the Correctional Service of Canada. About 70 per cent of federal prisoners in the Atlantic region participated in the day of mourning. 80 per cent in Ontario. 75 per cent on the Prairies and almost 100 per cent in B.C., Finlay said. The work stoppages and fasts began in 1975 as a tribute to Eddy Nolan, an activist for prison reform who committed suicide in the isolation unit of Millhaven penitentiary near Kingston. Ont.. on Aug. 10. 1974. Nolan was chosen as a symbol because prisoners say they shouted in vain for assistance after they discovered he had slashed his left arm. But an inquiry by the correctional service found prisoners were not aware of Nolan’s suicide attempt until prison officials found and tried to save him. The protest day has since expanded among the estimated 11.500 prisoners in 59 federal institutions to mourn all inmates who have died violently and to protest prison conditions. A mother whose son hanged himself in an isolation cell at an Edmonton institution last March was conducting a 24-hour hunger vigil in front of the maxmimum-security prison Wednesday. Alice Baker says punishing prisoners by locking them in isolation 23 hours a day is a "slow form of murder.” “I just feel I have to do this ... I have no choice." she said. "I loved my son and when I lost my son I lost a part of myself.” About 207 of the 450 prisoners at Dorchester maximum-security prison near Moncton. N.B., were locked in the cells after being denied permission to hold a large memorial service and refusing to work or eat solid food, said Atlantic prison spokesman Jim West. However, in a compromise with prison officials a small ceremony marking Nolan’s suicide was allowed in the prison chapel. Most who did not participate in the fast and work stoppage were in isolation cells or had medical problems, he said. A 26-year-old Halifax man was found hanging in his cell at the medium-security prison in Sprin-ghill, N.S.. Wednesday morning, the sixth prisoner to commit suicide in the Atlantic region since February. Fourteen federal prisoners have committed suicide throughout the country so far this year, compared with 11 in 1982 and 12 in 1981 pressure increases MONTREAL (CP) -Pressure on Gilles Gregoire to resign from fhc Quebec national assembly mounted Wednesday when 24 of 28 mayors in asbestos mining municipalities in his Eastern Townships riding adopted a resolution demanding he step down The independent member for Frontenac was sentenced last month to two years less a day in jail and fined a total of $2,900 after being found guilty of immoral sexual acts with seven minor girls. Gregoire, who was convicted under the Juvenile Delinquents Act. does not have to resign because he was not convicted under the Criminal Code and sentenced to more than two years in prison. The four mayors who refused to vote on the resolution, passed during a meeting of the Munici-palite regionale de comte de l’amiante (an orgnization of towns in Quebec’s asbestos mining region), said their councillors had not been officially consulted on the question. They also said they feared Gregoire’s resignation would deprive them of "the excellent services provided by the member’s secretaries." In addition to asking for Gregoire’s resignation, the resolution also requests a temporary representative for the riding in the national assembly. Gregoire, 57, has also been asked to resign by the towns of Black Lake, Coleraine, Disraeli, Thetford Mines and south Thetford. also in Frontenac riding. Gregoire. who could be released when one-third — or eight months — of his sentence is served, has refused to resign until he has exhausted all avenues of judicial appeal. Move to metrics slows EDMONTON (CP) -Metric use has peaked in Canada as retail outlets revert to imperial measurements. says prominent anti-metric crusader Bill Domm. But the Canadian Metric Commission says this is merely the lull before the crackdown which could come this fall if a Toronto court convicts two service station owners who sell gas by the gallon rather than the litre. The number of retail outlets not using the metric system has increased since January as weights and measures inspectors hold off laying charges while the Toronto judge prepares his decision. Domm. Progressive Conservative MP for Peterborough. Ont.. and opposition critic on weights and measures, said the metric movement is doomed in Canada. He is encouraged by the closing of the U.S. Metric Commission and the end of the Canadian Metric Commission, which will close in March. 1985. He said the anti-metric movement gained further impetus when the crash-landing of an Air Canada Boeing 767 in Manitoba was traced to fuel shortage following a metric conversion foul-up “The failure of the government to lay any charges since Feb. 1 and the closing of the metric commission means the Liberals have finally gotten the message that people don’t want mandatory metric,” said Domm. But Elizabeth Turner, the metric commission’s communications director, says the commission is winding down because it has completed almost all of its work. Have I Hot A CAVALIER For You!! DEMO 2 dr. hatchback. 2 litre, 4 cyl. auto, ps, pb block heater pin striping, am/fm stereo with clock, White letter tires, Rear defroster Was $11,125 NOW $ 9569 M*i< ICHOLSON HEVROLET LDSMOBILE 564-4466 2000 Victoria St Prince George Oil?' No V80 ,he^ay THE BUFFET PRESENTS Veal Cutlet Vienna includes: mashed potato, vegetable Only 4 35 FRIDAY NIGHTS 4:00 TO 8:00 P.M. 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